All That is Lost
by InvaderT3n
Summary: A ZADR fic, to put it simply. Doesn't get into the romance right away, but be patient, and you shall be rewarded! ;D
1. Chapter 1

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_*note: If you don't like ZADR, I suggest reading some other piddly earth smut. Got it? Good. _

(c) Invader Zim & Characters to Jhonen Vasquez/Nickelodeon/Viacom. None of them belong to me.

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Chapter One

-- Miscommunication --

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_ Just pick up the phone. Dial the number, and wait. Just do it now. NOW._ Dib gently placed his hand on the telephone receiver, picking it up with a faint "click". His free hand slowly pressed the buttons in perfect sequence. He had memorized the number years ago, refusing to let himself forget. He pressed his ear against the receiver, waiting. It rang.

Once,

twice.

Three times.

_Good. I'll just....leave a message. Leave a message and hang up. Much easier than - _

Click.

"Hello?"

Dib gasped. He wasn't expecting him to answer. "...Hello?" The voice repeated in a louder, slightly-agitated tone.

Dib stayed silent. He felt paralyzed, his mouth open slightly as if he was going to respond.

"Fuck, I told you, I'm not interested in buying any of your filthy crap. So take me off your list, or so help me I'll -"

"W-wait, Zim. It's me." Dib choked out the words. He paused, hearing only silence on the other end. He wondered for a second if Zim had already hung up, and he was just stupidly holding the phone to his ear for no reason. He felt his shoulders relax as he exhaled deeply.

"...Dib-human? Why are you calling me?? What...." Dib started to tense up again. He felt anxious, as if someone was watching him. Shaking, he responded. "Listen to me, Zim. I know we don't exactly like each other...." Zim was listening. Dib could hear him making slight noises in agreement. "- But I was thinking that maybe we could put the past behind us. Start over new....as friends?" Zim coughed. He was relieved that the human was finally apologizing, but _friends_?" "Um...." Zim trailed off, unsure of what to say. "Well, at least let me buy you lunch." Dib offered. Zim laughed coldly. "You know I don't eat the garbage _you _do. Dib laughed at himself. "Ha ha, right. I forgot." "You forgot that I was an alien?" There was a pause. Of course Dib remembered that. It was the whole reason he was calling Zim, after all. Dib rolled his eyes. "Oh, you're an alien....of course. How's the total world domination thing going? Real well, I assume?" Dib asked, sarcastically, obviously loosening up to the conversation. Zim growled into the phone. "Look, do you want to meet me and apologize or NOT?" Dib straightened up. "No, no, I do. When are you -" "Wednesday at 3:30. Coffee Shack. _Don't_ be late." Zim quickly responded as if reciting a script. "Okay, I'll see you then." Dib said, trying to sound cheerful. The phone went dead. Zim had already hung up.

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Dib looked around the dreary cafe. The walls were brown, with large splotches of red and yellow splattered randomly all over them. Most likely grease, or food.... Dib let his thoughts wander for a minute. He was sitting at a booth, the seat nearly falling apart, and the table vandalized from pocket knifes and coins. "L x B". "Tom wuz here." "Leslee is a bitch". Dib smirked at the last one. If he had been here when he was a teenager, he most likely would have written something mean about Zim. Dib looked at the cafe door, and then at his watch, which read 3:31. _So much for being on time_, he thought to himself. He grabbed a newspaper off the floor and began flipping through it, looking at nothing in particular.

A sudden force ripped the paper out of Dib's hands and nearly knocked him over. Dib looked up, shocked. Zim was standing in front of the booth, his raised arm holding the shoe print-marked newspaper. "You're late," Dib pointed out. He was going to call him a hypocrite, but then remembered he was there to apologize, _not _pick a fight. Zim sneered, dropping the crumpled newspaper onto the floor. "I am NOT late, silly human. By my time, I am early by exactly one minute." He gestured to his wrist as if he had a watch there. Dib raised an eyebrow. "But you're not wearing -" he started. "WHATEVER," Zim sighed. "Let's get this retched thing over, shall we?" He slid into the seat across from Dib, and then placed his arms comfortably around the head rest. "Okay." Dib paused, looking at Zim. It felt as if he was talking to somebody different. Sure, Zim _looked_ pretty much the same as he always had, but something_ felt _different.

Zim cleared his throat loudly. "'Okay'....? What are you staring at, Dib-idiot? Get on with the show! Tell me how very, very sorry you are, and then we can part and go on with our lives." Dib looked at the table. He had no idea what he was doing. "Okay, Zim. I am sorry for fighting you all those years. It was stupid and childish. You know, after my dad died....things were pretty rough. But now I want to stop worrying about the past, and start my life clean, and fresh." Dib stood up, one hand on the table for balance, the other firmly in front of him. "What do you say? ...Friends?" Zim limply grabbed Dib's hand, frowning. "I accept your apology, even though it was terribly pathetic. But I don't see why you want to be..." Zim stuck out his tongue, slightly disgusted. "_Friends_ so badly." Dib smiled, relieved. "You won't regret this, Zim. I really appreciate it!" He shook Zim's hand forcefully. Zim nodded in agreement, annoyed. "Yes," he smirked. "Yes, I am wonderful, aren't I?"

Dib smiled politely as he watched the alien slide out of the booth and head for the exit. He breathed a sigh of relief as he grabbed his trench coat from beside him and started to stand up. Zim stopped at the door, one hand pressing it slightly ajar. He turned, a look of suspicion plastered across his face. "And don't try any funny stuff, Dib-human. I'll be watching. I _always_ am.". With that last sentence, Zim opened the door and walked out of the dark cafe. Dib smiled as he put on his coat. "Finally," he sneered. "You are mine."

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End of Chapter One


	2. Chapter 2

Zim looked around his lab. He stared at his computer screens, watching as footage from around his base flickered and transitioned every couple of seconds. He squinted at one of the screens as it blinked. "Computer", commanded Zim, one finger raised slightly in the air. "Notify me of any....._changes_."

"Yes master", the computer responded coldly. He started to walk towards the elevator when the computer beeped, echoing throughout the lab. "Sir, camera six has lost its input signal. Shall I attempt to restore it?" Zim sighed. "Yes, yes, whatever. Just make sure it doesn't -" he was waving one hand impatiently when the machine cut him off. "Sir, camera five has lost - camera nine has - camera three - camera -" the computer paused. "Sir, all cameras are down". Zim stared dumfounded at the static on the screens. "What on Irk.....?" He walked back towards the computer and began pushing buttons quickly. They lit up when he pressed them, illuminating his green skin to a bright blue. "Fix this mess, NOW, computer!" He ordered loudly. The computer whirred in response. "Unable to restore power to cameras one through eleven. There is an unknown source controlling the camera mainframe."

Zim growled, banging his fist against the computer panel. "Computer, attempt to override. GIR!!" He shouted, twisting his neck around. Gir dropped in randomly from the ceiling. "Yesssss?" he intruiged, standing on his head. "I am going to give you one simple task. Do you think you can do this for me without screwing it up?" Zim asked, holding up one finger dramatically. "I like Tak!" Gir shouted, flailing his arms. Zim slapped his forehead and groaned. "No, not TAK, you idiot, _TASK_!!!!!" Gir's anntenae sank as he made a dissapointed face and whined. Zim ignored him. "GUARD. THE. BAAAAAAASE." Zim commanded, adding extra emphasis to the "base" to make sure Gir knew what he had to do. Gir squeaked and raised one robot-hand to his head in salute, which clanked loudly. Zim rolled his eyes as he stepped inside the elevator. "I need to go deal with this 'unknown source'."

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Dib sat in his room, relaxed. His feet were propped up on his desk beside his keyboard. He rocked back and forth in his swivel chair, humming a made-up tune. He listened to the quiet wind muffled behind his closed window, and the chirping of birds in the tree out front, and the scratching sounds of someone scaling his apartment building complex wall, and.....

Dib fell backwards off his chair and hit his head on the top of his bed frame as Zim shattered his window and jumped into his room. He rubbed the back of his head as he picked up his chair and stood up. "Haven't you heard of a goddamn door?!?" Dib asked, clearly annoyed at the shards of glass littered across his clean floor. Zim looked up, one hand on the floor with the other resting on his leg. "I wanted revenge," Zim replied, glaring as the dust settled around him.

"..._'Revenge'_? Are you retarded? I mean, couldn't you have just knocked on the door and ran away or something? That window costs money to repair!" Dib shouted, pointing at the window and turning slightly red. "Don't be stupid, Dib-_idiot_. That's immature. And besides, my cameras cost TIME to repair, which I now have to waste because YOU destroyed them!" Zim jabbed his finger into Dib's chest, pushing him against the wall. Dib looked down at Zim. Even though he was a good three or so feet taller than him, he was still pretty intimidating.

Dib pushed Zim away forcefully. "How did you know it was me?" he inquired, stepping forward and adjusting his glasses. "Oh, _please_," Zim smiled coyly. "First you randomly contact me after who _knows_ HOW many years, say you want to be 'friends', and now my cameras are all broken? That's not just a coincidence." Zim crossed his arms, still evaluating Dib's apartment. "Fine," Dib sighed, sitting down on the edge of his bed, arms raised in defeat. "You're right; it was me." Zim suddenly lunged at Dib, landing on top of him. "Why did you do it?!?" he asked, straddling Dib and nearly choking him to death. "Answer me, you filthy human!!" Dib gasped. "I....I just....w-wanted to see......" he struggled as his fungers clawed at Zim's hands in a desperate attempt to free himself. "....Yes??" Zim responded, pressing harder. "If I could do it."

Zim released Dib's neck. "'If you could do it'? What are you, ten? What's you're problem?!?" Dib rubbed his neck. "I thought it would be funny. You know, like old times?" Zim glared at Dib - who was still rubbing his neck - unamused. "Well, I'll admit that you did a good job. Just give me back control of my cameras." Dib nodded in agreement. "Sure, no problem." He looked around awkwardly. "Um....are you going to get off of me anytime soon, or....?" Zim's eyes bulged as a look of shock took over his face. "Right! Yes! Off, of you! Ah, ha-ha!" He scrambled off of Dib and landed on the floor, seeming to stumble over his own legs. He stood up quickly, wiping the shards of glass off of his invader uniform. He looked at Dib, half-smiling. "A door....do you have one?" He asked, pointing in no particular direction. Dib smirked and pointed to the right of the confused alien. Zim smiled nervously and grabbed the door knob. "Well, I should be going! Look at the time!! Seventy-nine past Eleventeen already? Goodbye, Dib!" Fumbled Zim as he jumped out the door.

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Dib began typing on his keyboard, opening various applications. Within two minutes he had fixed Zim's cameras. "What an idiot", he muttered to himself as he stood up and walked to the door. "Any half-brain with basic computer skills could have hacked his weak security system." He grabbed his coat from the closet beside him and draped it over top of his arm. He frowned as he looked at the broken window. "Now I have to get stuff to fix that mess." Dib opened the door and sighed. _It will all be worth it in the end_, he told himself. _It won't be much longer now._

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ZIm walked down the street, his shoulders raised to protect himself from the wind. Winter was approaching. He hated the cold as much as he hated the Earth; it reminded him that the year as nearly over.....another year where he hadn't taken over the world. Zim rubbed his arms, wishing he had brought a coat. It was still a long walk back to his base, and the thought of taken public transportation sent a shiver down his spine. He quickly ducked into the nearest store. chattering his teeth.

He stood by the door for a moment and examined the shop. It was flourescently-lit with grey walls and dingy white tiles. Most of the shelves were dusty and filled randomly with merchandise. He took a few steps into the store and turned to the cashier. "What kind of establishment are you perpentrating here?" he asked, pressing his thumb and index finger to his chin. "Are you retarded?" the man responded, snorting slightly. "This is a frikkin' hardware store! You gonna buy somethin', er jus' stand there?" Zim began walking towards one of the main displays, ignoring the man. He picked up a package and gave a contemplative look. "Hahh-Mer," he sounded out, flipping the package around in his hands. "What's this thing for, smelly human?" he asked, turning his head to the cashier and pointing to the package as if it were a bomb. "Bangin' stuff. Geezus, you really ARE a retard!" Zim frowned, placing the Hahh-Mer back on the shelf.

He picked up another item and read the large green label. "Skru-Drivurr", he scruntched up his face slightly. "So, this is for driving Skrus?" The cashier laughed. "Goddamn foreigner! Hah hah hah, yer really sumthin'!" Zim squinted, sticking out his lower lip as the man grabbed his stomach and continued to laugh in his face. Zim was about to go up to the cashier and rip his intestines out through his nose when he saw a blue and black blob in the corner of his eye. He whipped around quickly, forgetting about the annoying cashier. "Dib-stink! Did you follow me here?" Dib turned around, scowling. "Of course not. I came here to get supplies to fix the window that YOU broke." Zim crossed his arms, dropping the package he was holding on the ground. "I wouldn't have broken it if _you_ weren't playing stupid humanoid mind games with me!"

Dib smiled and approached Zim. "That was no '_mind game_', Zim. Do you want to know what a REAL '_mind game_' is?" Zim raised his finger and opened his mouth to respond. But before he could, Dib lunged at him, grabbing the collar of his shirt. He kissed him, forcefully, not even flinching as Zim tried to push him away. Dib swiftly ended the kiss just as quickly as he had engaged it, pushing Zim a few feet backwards. He wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his coat, mixed saliva sticking to the fabric. He smiled menacingly. "_THAT'S_ a fucking mind game." Zim clutched his chest, shocked. He just stared as Dib picked up a few items, paid the equally-shocked cashier, and left the store as if nothing had happened. He felt vunerable and insecure, as if Dib had sucked away all his confidence. He would never fully understand what compelled humans to think so irrationally.

Zim slowly walked out of the store, replaying the kiss over and over again in his head, more confused than ever. "Fucking queers", mumbled the cashier as Zim left the store.


End file.
